Jar seal



f Jan. 17, 1939.

J. D. MILLER 2,144,191

JAAR SEAL Filed Dc. 22, 195e 2 v 2e /2 /0 /y di Mille Patented Jan. 17, 1939 -UNITED STATES ,ATENT' ori-ice This invention relates to an improved jar seal and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device of this character which may readily be applied to fruit jars and the like and which will permit partial sealing of the jar while the contents thereof are being brought to the desired degree of temperature and, after said temperature is reached, permitting the entire sealing of the jar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jar seal which may be adapted for use in connection with jars having unthreaded filling necks or those having the usual threads.

A further object of the invention is to provide a jar seal which may be manufactured cheaply and which will be durable in use.

Other and incidental objects of the invention not specifically mentioned hereinabove will become apparent as the description proceeds.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and shown in section, illustrating my improved fruit jar seal as it would appear mounted on a fruit jar having an unthreaded filling neck.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my improved seal.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view showing the clamping ring employed for surrounding the neck of the jar prior to the application of the jar seal.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away and shown in section, illustrating a modified form of my invention wherein the jar seal is applied to a jar having an externally threaded iilling neck.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference will be seen to designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral I indicates a fruitjar which, in this embodiment, is provided with a square body. It should be understood that the shape of the body is immaterial. The jar I is reduced at its upper end and provided with a circular neck 2 which is formed with a limiting flange 5 near the base of said neck. As will be seen, in this embodiment of the invention, the neck 2 is provided with a smooth, outer annular surface and is, therefore, devoid of all threads.

In carrying my invention into effect, I employ a split ring 4 which is formed of a suitable grade oi semi-resilient heavy wire. The ring is formed at spaced points throughout its circumference with spring loops 5 and said ring is provided at its free ends with inter-engageable eyes 5 and l. As will be seen by referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the ring 4 is adapted to surround the neck 2 of the jar I below the flange 3. In order to placethe ring in position beneath the flange 3 it is only necessary to disengage the eyes 5 and l from each other when the ring may be slipped down over the neck 2 and flange 3 and 5 the eyes 6 and 'l again inter-engaged for firmly locking the ring in position on the ller neck. The spring loops 5 will tend to snugly retain the ring about the neck 2 so that said ring will not slide upwardly or downwardly on the neck. The 10` flange 3 will, of course, limit upward movement of the ring 4. Surrounding the neck 2 and adapted to overlie the flange 3 is a sealing gasket 8.

In` order to seal the jar I, I provide a cap 9 which may be pressed from heavy sheet metal or 15 may be made from cast metal. If desired, the cap may be made of glass. In some cases, Bakelite or other compositions may be employed. The cap 9 is provided with a top wall Il] and an annular side wall II which, as best seen in Figure l, 20 snugly engages about the neck 2. The lower edge of the cap il is adapted to engage the upper surface of the gasket 8 for permitting the establishment of a rm seal between the gasket and the neck. 1 Formed on the cap 9, at spaced points 25 throughout its circumference, are projections I2 which are adapted to 'extending outwardly and are provided with upperV notches I3 and lower notches I4. Any desired number of the projections I2 may be employed, this being depend- 30 ent-upon the size of the cap and other requirements. As will be understood, the cap is placed on the neck 2 in such a manner that the projections I2 are disposed in vertical alinement with the loops 5 of the ring 4 directly thereabove. 35

In order to connect the cap 9 with the jar l,

I provide spring connectors I5 which are formed of heavy resilent wire and include arms I6 and Il and a spring bight portion I8. One of the `connectors I5 is adapted for selective engagement 40 with a projection I2 and a loop 5 of the ring 4 and, as any number of them may be employed, further description of one typical connector is believed to be sufficient. The typical connector includes a hook I9 which is formed integral with 45 the arm Il. As will be seen, the hook I9 is merely an extension of the arm `I'l which has been downturned at 2B and then bent into a half loop and extended upwardly, as shown at 2I. The hook I9 is adapted for engagement through one 50 of the loops 5 of the ring 4. As will be seen by referring to Figure 2 of the drawing, the connector I5 is bowed throughout its length so as ,to permit said connector to lie against the outer surface of the wall II of the cap 9, in operative 55 position. The arm I 6 is extended at its free end and is turned about itself to dene a loop 22 adapted for selective engagement with the notches I3 and I4.

In use, after the jar I has been filled with the desired contents to be preserved, the cap 9 is placed on the neck 2. As itv may be desired to bring the temperature of the contents to a desired degree before complete sealing of the jar, the connectors I5 are placed in position with the loops 22 thereof in engagement with the lowermost notches I4 of the projections I2. In this position, the spring bight portions I8 will not Y exert much downward pulling movement and the cap 9 will thus be more or less loosely disposed on the neck 2. It should be understood, of course, that the hooks I 9 are disposed through the loops 5 and it should further be understood that the connectors I5 will lie against the outer surface of the wall II. After the contents have been brought to the desired degree of temperature and it is desired to seal the jar completely, the arms I6 of the connectors I5 are lifted against the tension of the spring bight portions I8 and the loops 22 are disposed in the uppermost notches I3 of the projections I2. In this position, the arms I6 and I I of the connectors will beheld under downward tension so that the cap 9 will be urged downwardly into tight sealing engagement with the gasket 8. It will thus be seen that the cap will be rmly mounted and will eifectually seal the jar for an indefinite period. lWhen it is desired to remove the cap from the jar, it is only necessary to release the loops 22 from the uppermost notches I3, when the hooks I9 may be freed from the loops 5 or allowed to depend therefrom so that free access may be had to the cap and removal thereof quickly effected.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have shown a fruit jar at 23. 'I'he jar 23 is provided with a neck 24 having threads 25 thereon. A stop iiange 26 is formed on the neck 24 at the base thereof and a sealing gasket 2l overlies said stop ange. In this embodiment of the invention it is only necessary to place a ring 23, similar to the ring 4, about the neck 24 of the jar.23 below the flange 26. A cap 29, which is similar to the cap 9, is slipped over the neck 24 and is adapted to slip over the outer edges of the threads 25 to have its lower edge engaged with the gasket 21. Fasteners 30, which are identical to the fasteners I5, are connected with notches 3| on projections 32 for connecting the cap with the ring 28. The

operation of this form of the invention is identical with that of the preferred form with the exception that the threads 25 are formed on the outer face of the neck 24.

Attention is directed to the fact that the ring 4 may be applied to any jar of suitable size and, furthermore, it is desired to point out that the cap and ring may be made in any desired style and shape. It should be understood that the jar may be made of glass or any other suitable material. If desired, the jar may be made of metal. In view of the foregoing, it is thought that the construction and operation of my improved jar seal will be thoroughly understood.

' Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a jar seal, a jar having a neck provided with a ange, a Vring adapted to surround the neck of the jar and having a loop and interengaging eyes, said interengaging eyes being adapted to retain the ring on the neck beneath the flange and said flange preventing upward movement of the ring, a cap adapted to be carried by the neck of the jar and having a side wall provided with projections having upper and lower notches, a fastener associated with the cap and jar and being bowed longitudinally to lie against the wall of the cap, said fastener having an upper arm provided with a loop selectively engageable in the upper and lower notches, and a lower arm provided with a hook engageable in the loop of the ring, said arms being connected and urged toward each other by a spring bight portion, said fastener being adapted to retain the capV 0n the neck in a sealed or partially sealed position.

2. A device of the class described including in combination with a container having a neck and a ilange, a ring surrounding the neck below the ange and having a loop, a cap adapted to removably lt about the neck for closing the jar, said cap having a projection formed with Vertically alined upper and lower notches, and a fastener removably connected With thel ring and cap, said fastener having a hook adapted to engage through the loop in the ring and being provided with a spring bight portion and a loop adapted to engage in said lowermost notch for loosely connecting the cap with the neck, said loop being shiftable upwardly against the tension of said spring bight portion and into engagement with the uppermost notch for tightly sealing the cap on the jar.

JEFFERSON D. MILLER. 

